U.S. patent application number 10/898665 was filed with the patent office on 2005-03-17 for medicated toothpick.
Invention is credited to Nazeri, Alireza.
Application Number | 20050058609 10/898665 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34278434 |
Filed Date | 2005-03-17 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050058609 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Nazeri, Alireza |
March 17, 2005 |
Medicated toothpick
Abstract
A medicated toothpick for administering a selected dosage of
medication including a toothpick shaped device impregnated with a
selected quantity of medication. The medicated toothpick is
particularly useful for the delivery of nicotine and provides a
physical and mental nicotine delivery system that may effectively
be substituted for smoking.
Inventors: |
Nazeri, Alireza; (St. Claire
Shores, MI) |
Correspondence
Address: |
DYKAS, SHAVER & NIPPER, LLP
P.O. BOX 877
802 WEST BANNOCK STREET, SUITE 405
BOISE
ID
83701
US
|
Family ID: |
34278434 |
Appl. No.: |
10/898665 |
Filed: |
July 21, 2004 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
|
|
|
|
|
|
Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
60489384 |
Jul 22, 2003 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
424/49 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A61Q 11/00 20130101;
A61K 9/0056 20130101; A61K 8/02 20130101; A61C 15/02 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
424/049 |
International
Class: |
A61K 007/16 |
Claims
I claim:
1. A medicated toothpick for administering a selected medication to
a smoker, comprising; a toothpick shaped device impregnated with a
selected quantity of medication.
2. The medicated toothpick of claim 1 in which the selected
medication is nicotine or a nicotine replacing medication.
3. The medicated toothpick of claim 1 in which the selected
medication is any of nitroglycereine, aspirin, diabetes medication,
stimulants, relaxants, pain killers or herbal medications.
4. The medicated toothpick of claim 1 in which said selected
medication is soluble in saliva.
5. The medicated toothpick of claim 1, which is impregnated with a
quantity of nicotine which when transferred to the user is
approximately equal to the amount of nicotine transferred by using
a tobacco product.
6. The medicated toothpick of claim 5 in which said medicated
toothpick releases all of said quantity of nicotine in a time
substantially equivalent to smoking an entire cigarette.
7. The medicated toothpick of claim 1 in which said selected
medication is a nicotine substitute.
8. The medicated toothpick of claim 7, which is impregnated with a
sufficient quantity of buproprion to impart a biochemical effect on
a smoker.
9. The medicated toothpick of claim 1, which further comprises an
internal compartment for containing said medications.
10. The medicated toothpick of claim 9 in which said internal
compartment may be broken for an immediate release of
medication.
11. The medicated toothpick of claim 10 in which said medicated
toothpick is configured for prolonged release of said medication
after said immediate release of medication from said internal
compartment.
12. The medicated toothpick of claim 1 in which said selected
medication is concentrated in one end of said toothpick.
13. The medicated toothpick of claim 1 which includes an additive
such as a flavor, a breath freshener, a mint, citrus flavor,
etc.
14. The medicated toothpick of claim 1, wherein said toothpick
shaped device is any of a coffee straw, stir stick, non-edible
chewing item, or lollypop stick.
15. A smoking addiction breaking system that includes a nicotine
replacement medicated toothpick that comes in a plurality of dosage
levels so a user can gradually use less nicotine replacement
medication by selecting a dosage level that contains less
medication.
16. The smoking addiction breaking system of claim 15 in which said
different dosage levels are marked for recognition.
17. The smoking addiction breaking system of claim 16 in which said
dosage levels are marked for recognition by the use of color.
18. A pack of medicated toothpicks, comprising: a pack for carrying
said medicated toothpicks; a number of toothpick shaped devices in
which each is impregnated with a quantity of nicotine to achieve a
selected dosage when placed in a user's mouth for an amount of time
substantially corresponding to a required time to receive said
selected dosage from smoking cigarettes; wherein the number of
toothpicks is approximately equal to the number of cigarettes in a
pack of cigarettes, in order to more completely replace the habit
of handling and smoking a cigarette with the habit of handling and
placing said medicated toothpick in said user's mouth.
19. A medicated toothpick comprising: a first end for placement in
a user's mouth; a second end for placement in a user's mouth; and a
toothpick body impregnated with a selected saliva soluble
medication.
20. The medicated toothpick of claim 18, wherein any of said first
end and said second end is pointed.
21. The medicated toothpick of claim 18, wherein said selected
saliva soluble medication is nicotine for helping a smoker quit
smoking by replacing his/her nicotine source.
22. The medicated toothpick of claim 18 in which said medication is
concentrated in one end of said toothpick.
Description
PRIORITY
[0001] This application claims the priority date of the provisional
application entitled Medicated Toothpick filed by Alireza Nazeri on
Jul. 22, 2003 with application Ser. No. 60/489,384.
DESCRIPTION
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] 1. Field of the Invention
[0003] The present invention generally relates to medication
delivery systems, and more specifically to nicotine delivery
systems, and particularly to a nicotine toothpick delivery system
that provides for an improved nicotine release profile over
existing systems.
[0004] 2. Background Information
[0005] Delivery systems containing medications for oral
administration include various chewing gum formulations and other
similar methods and elements. Chewing gums permit release of the
active ingredient over time as the gum product is masticated or
chewed, and release is facilitated by the action of the saliva on
the gum.
[0006] A problem with many chewing gum formulations is that they
fail to deliver an adequate dose of medicament or active ingredient
in the appropriate manner over the entire dosing interval. This
results in the active ingredient insufficiently being absorbed into
the bloodstream for effective therapeutic or pharmacological
actions. There are many reasons for inadequate dosing. Many chewing
gum formulations release the active medication slowly over time in
a more or less continuous fashion; These formulations may also
retain a significant portion of the active ingredient during the
prescribed dosing period, resulting in inadequate dosing of the
patient. Further, the particular gum base material chosen to
contain and subsequently release the active material may not
perform optimally. The gum base may be difficult to chew or
unusually hard, thereby damaging the teeth and gums or making it
unpleasant to chew. Additionally, some patients are just not in the
habit of chewing gum and do not enjoy it.
[0007] As a result of the foregoing problems, many medication
delivery systems for active substances are ineffective when
delivered by chewing gum. This is unfortunate as many active
ingredients would be quite amenable to an oral delivery system,
especially those that enter the body through the mucous membranes
lining the oral cavity, thereby avoiding first-pass metabolism that
occurs with many oral formulations. Nicotine is one such
example.
[0008] Nicotine is a highly addictive chemical stimulant present in
cigarettes. Most smokers find quitting to be difficult, and
attempts to quit often fail. The emergence of a craving for
nicotine and of nicotine withdrawal symptoms makes sustained
cessation difficult. Providing nicotine by medication is a proven
method of smoking cessation, but one with limited success. Nicotine
replacement is considered to work by relieving cravings and
symptoms of withdrawal. Nicotine medications can affect cravings in
various ways. For example, by providing a relatively steady level
of nicotine in the bloodstream, such medications can prevent or
blunt cravings throughout the day. For this purpose, a medication
that provides steady sustained release and that maintains blood
levels is most desirable. Smokers may also be subject to episodic
peaks or surges of cravings, typically evoked by internal or
external stimuli. Research has shown that these episodes often lead
to relapse. Rapid relief of cravings in such episodes is expected
to help prevent relapse. Acute delivery of nicotine via the oral
mucosa may help relieve cravings, with the speed of relief being a
function of the speed of delivery of nicotine into the blood
stream.
[0009] Additionally, smoking is a physical and mental addiction.
Many smokers are used to being able to "play" with the cigarette as
they smoke it and are used to the physical contact as the nicotine
is absorbed into their bloodstream. Most nicotine delivery systems,
such as nicotine gum, do not provide that physical interaction.
There is consequently a need in the art for an improved medication
delivery system for actives such as nicotine that is both mentally
and physically acceptable for a user that is to ingest the
medication.
[0010] Additional objects, advantages and novel features of the
invention will be set forth in part in the description which
follows and in part will become apparent to those skilled in the
art upon examination of the following or may be learned by practice
of the invention. The objects and advantages of the invention may
be realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities and
combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] The present invention provides a medicated toothpick for
administering a selected medication to a user including a toothpick
shaped device impregnated with a selected quantity of medication.
The medication is soluble in saliva for efficient delivery of the
medication to the user's system. The medicated toothpick is
particularly suitable to helping a smoker quit smoking when a
toothpick impregnated with nicotine is used as a substitute for
smoking. Each medicated toothpick may be marked indicating the
level of nicotine it contains so that a user can begin with a
medicated toothpick with a higher dosage and work down to a small
dosage or a standard non-medicated or mint flavored toothpick. In
another embodiment, the medication is a nicotine imitation or
substitute allowing a smoker to effectively eliminate the nicotine
cravings. Additionally, the medication may be nitroglycereine,
aspirin, diabetes medication, stimulants, relaxants, painkillers,
herbal medications or any other medication that a user needs to
effectively ingest.
[0012] In another embodiment, the present invention provides a pack
of medicated toothpicks, including a pack for carrying the
medicated toothpicks and a number of toothpick shaped devices. Each
of the toothpick equivalents is impregnated with a quantity of
nicotine to achieve a selected dosage when placed in a user's
mouth. The time necessary to ingest the nicotine corresponds
substantially with the time required to obtain such a dosage by
smoking. The number of toothpicks is approximately equal to the
number of cigarettes in a pack of cigarettes, in order to more
completely replace the habit of handling and smoking a cigarette
with the habit of handling and placing the medicated toothpick in
the smoker's mouth.
[0013] The medicated toothpick may further include an internal
compartment that may be broken for an immediate release of the
medication. In additional embodiments the medicated toothpick is
configured for prolonged release of the medication even after the
immediate release of medication from the internal compartment. The
medicated toothpick may concentrate the selected medication in one
end of the toothpick so that the remaining portion of the toothpick
is outside of the mouth. The medicated toothpick may include an
additive such as a flavor, a breath freshener, a mint or citrus
flavor, to mask the taste of the medication and enhance the
experience, or for personal hygiene.
[0014] The purpose of the foregoing Abstract is to enable the
United States Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally,
and especially the scientists, engineers, and practitioners in the
art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology,
to determine quickly from a cursory inspection, the nature and
essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The
Abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the
application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to
be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way.
[0015] Still other objects and advantages of the present invention
will become readily apparent to those skilled in this art from the
following detailed description wherein I have shown and described
only the preferred embodiment of the invention, simply by way of
illustration of the best mode contemplated by carrying out my
invention. As will be realized, the invention is capable of
modification in various obvious respects all without departing from
the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and description of the
preferred embodiment are to be regarded as illustrative in nature,
and not as restrictive in nature.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0016] While the invention is susceptible to various modifications
and alternative constructions, certain illustrated embodiments will
be described below in detail. It should be understood, however,
that there is no intention to limit the invention to the specific
form disclosed, but, on the contrary, the invention is to cover all
modifications, alternative constructions, and equivalents falling
within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the
claims.
[0017] The present invention is a medicated toothpick that is
designed for administering a selected medication. In one
embodiment, the present invention helps a smoker quit smoking. The
device is a generally toothpick shaped device that is impregnated
with a selected quantity of a nicotine replacing medication. The
medication can be nicotine, which would replace the nicotine
obtained from smoking cigarettes, chewing tobacco or any other
tobacco products. It can also be other medications that replace,
imitate or simulate nicotine or are approved and/or will be
approved to use in nicotine withdrawal in usage for quitting
smoking, such as buproprion or herbal medications. In another
embodiment, medically useful medications may be delivered via the
medicated toothpick, such as nitroglycerine, aspirin, diabetes
medication or other medication. A feature of the device is that the
selected medication is soluble in the user's saliva for easy
ingestion into the user's system.
[0018] A toothpick like device is useful because it is something
that is instinctively placed in a user's mouth, similar to
cigarettes for smokers. Additionally, it is a physical object that
allows the user to concentrate on something besides his/her
craving. Many people already have the habit of having a toothpick
or pencil in their mouth, making the transition from smoking to
using a medicated toothpick very easy. In some cases, a person will
have an aversion to other manners of ingesting drugs. For example,
the gag reflex of many individuals prevents them from effectively
swallowing medication.
[0019] A medicated toothpick allows a user to place it within their
mouth at which point the toothpick can merely be placed there until
their saliva mixes with the medication and is absorbed.
Additionally, they may suck on the toothpick or chew it in order to
release the medication. A smoker that is used to the physical
interaction may "play" with the toothpick as it is absorbed,
effectively replacing the physical interaction that they have come
to associate with nicotine ingestion. Other toothpick like ways of
delivering nicotine through the mouth (orally) can include such
items as coffee straws, stir sticks, lollypop sticks, and other
non-edible items frequently placed within the mouth. In addition to
the selected medication such as nicotine, the toothpick can include
other additives such as breath freshener; mint, citrus, clove or
cinnamon flavor; or other desirable flavors to mask the taste of
the medication, enhance the experience or for personal hygiene
purposes. As a result of these novel features, the medicated
toothpick is an effective way to encourage the ingestion of a
medicated substance or nicotine substitute as defined above.
[0020] An optional feature of the medicated toothpick is that it
can have one or more internal compartments that can be broken by
the user to provide an immediate release of medication. With the
internal compartment(s) broken, the toothpick can also be designed
to provide an ongoing release of medication.
[0021] One desirable embodiment of the toothpick is one in which
the medication is concentrated in one end of the toothpick, the
tip. This allows a user to keep most of the toothpick out of
his/her mouth, while getting the full release of medication from
the tip that is in the user's mouth.
[0022] Another embodiment of the invention includes a smoking
addiction breaking system, which includes use of the medicated
toothpick described above. The addiction breaking system would
include toothpicks of different levels of dosages of nicotine. The
user could select the dosage and gradually move to a lower dosage
in order to eliminate the nicotine intake from the smoking habit.
In this system, the different dosages can be marked for
recognition. The marking can be by the use of color-coding, or
other dosage indicia, which indicates different dosages of
medication.
[0023] One embodiment of the device is the use of the toothpicks
described above in a pack. The pack would have certain analogies to
a pack of cigarettes, and thus would be useful in helping the
smoker substitute the habit of handling, manipulating and chewing a
toothpick for the habit of handling, manipulating and smoking a
cigarette. Such a pack of toothpicks would be equivalent to a pack
of cigarettes in several ways. It would have the same number of
toothpicks and the same amount of time would be required to obtain
the full medication from the toothpick as would be required for a
smoker to smoke a cigarette. Thus, when a smoker had the urge to
have a cigarette, instead he/she could get out a pack of
toothpicks, handle the toothpick by opening the pack and selecting
one toothpick, and place it in his/her mouth. This satisfies the
physical habit of handling something. This also satisfies the oral
habit of chewing or sucking on an object. Instead of taking the
cigarette in and out of the mouth as a smoker smokes, he/she could
take the toothpick in and out of his/her mouth.
[0024] For instance, it has been determined that a typical smoker
takes about 5 to 8 minutes to finish smoking a cigarette. Each
cigarette contains roughly 8 to 9 mg of nicotine. Smoking each
cigarette transfers about 1 to 1.5 mg of Nicotine to the smoker's
body. Chewable tobacco transfers about 4.5 mg of nicotine. Dosages
that transfer about these same levels of nicotine to the body would
be the higher range of nicotine available, with lower dosages
available to gradually reduce a person's dependency on smoking. A
toothpick containing 1 mg or more each will be an approximate
quantity to satisfy this need, and can be made available in
different strengths.
[0025] While there is shown and described the present preferred
embodiment of the invention, it is to be distinctly understood that
this invention is not limited thereto but may be variously embodied
to practice within the scope of the following claims. From the
foregoing description, it will be apparent that various changes may
be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the
invention as defined by the following claims.
* * * * *